The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-05-21


Sketch in Harper History OF the War.
region was well stocked with corn, bacon,
sheep, chickens, turkeys, honey, etc. The
corn was in cribs, from which 1t was taken,
shcllcd and carried TO the horse mills, one
Of which was on nearly every plantation,
whore 1t was ground into meal. Every
Sortherner regards his home incomplete
without IA large aud well-fled smOk1-hDuse.
This is rough out-building, consisting
usually Of one room and generally without
"A floor. As soon as cold weather comes it
brings TO the Southerner hog-ldling time,
when from ten to thirty hogs are butchered,
the number depending on tho size OF the
family and thrift Of its heal. The pork Is
first "saltod down. in brine and after
soaking for time, hung up to drip in the
smoke house. After little while 1t is
thoroughly smoked by having under it for
days q smothered fire made of hickory.
After going through this process the
meat becomes bacon, and in the prepare
ton of the latter the Southerner has no
equal Ham taken +rom his smoke-house is
matchless in taste and quality. Many
smoke houses were found filled with
bacon; others were discovered that bore
marks of hasty removal of contents to
SOllc lS5S NOAbpiSuOuo paw Iva paw hNSP'
ing.
Often the meat was buried or put in some
retired spot in the woods, but through a
darby or some such means, its hiding place
was in nearly all instances sought out by
the pc rsi stent Northerners.
Homemade bacon was IL favorite meat
with the soldiers and for time they en-
joyed with it corn-bread made from the
nj pf bn
Lamb, turkey, chicken and honey for a
season made the bill Of fare seem perfect.
But the greatest trouble of subsis,ing an
army Off country in this way is the great
improyidence OF the soldiers. There Is
more wasted than eaten. -.
However for more than two weeks In
May, 1863, Grants army OF from thirty to
forty thousand men lived bountifully OIL
the region east and southeast OF Vicks.
burg
Many pleasant camping places were
found. One in particular comes up in mem.
DRY which, II the writer's recollection
serves him we'll, was near Willow Springs.
The hospital department encamped in the
shade Of some bushy-like trees in the very
shallow and dry bed of wide stream that
wa9 covered smoothly over with the
WuilSSt duu uucsb bduu ~ Wao ACNCA uhu
clean as q thrifty housewives kitchen
floor. Here tho corn-meal was made into
toothsomc bread and eaten with fresh
young lamb while luscious honey was in
plenty for dessert
The writer about this time, remembers
longing specially for fresh milk ami re-
solved at the very first opportunity to get
some. One day when on the march farm
house was passed, and upon the opposite
side Of the road were lot of cows fastened
up IN the "copper"" as the Southerners
say. The writer was not long in getting
over the fence, nor long IN Sc Getting cow
with fine udder, from which he 81 on filled
his clnteen. The fence was again hurried
ly clambered over and the regiment over
taken. BY and by, wh:n drink of nice,
fresh milk could no longer be postponed,
the clnteen was turned up, when, horrors
what IA bit err tastel Quinine could have
been no worse. 1t was learned soon after
from u native that in April the cows feed
upon young cane-shoCts, and these give the
bitter taste to the milk.